A while back, I downloaded a sidewalk map of Lower Merion Township, produced by the township public works department. But wouldn't you know it, there's a gaping hole in the map where Narberth should be; so I took it upon myself to make my own sidewalk map, in the style and format of Lower Merion's (red is sidewalk coverage, gray is road with no sidewalk).
We can be proud that Narberth has almost 100% complete sidewalk coverage, on both sides of just about every street. There are only a very few, short, dead-end streets that have no sidewalk. Just about anywhere we or our kids would like to walk or bike, we can tell them and ourselves yes, you can get there from here!
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You might be interested in this excerpt from Narberth's Open Space master plan, completed about five years. I was primary author. To read the entire plan, paste this link into your browser: www.narberthpa.org/docs/TheEnvironmentofNarberth0406.pdf
ReplyDeleteSidewalks
With few exceptions, Narberth has a fully developed sidewalk system, with are typically present on both sides of the street, the only exceptions being some culs-de-sac and the bridge crossing the railroad at Narberth Avenue. However, most sidewalks in Narberth are narrow, and along some streets, such as N. Wynnewood Road, the condition varies widely from property to property. In Narberth, as in most communities, the maintenance of the sidewalk is the responsibility of the abutting property owner.
If the frequency of how often people walk in Narberth is any indication of how much the sidewalks are used, then their use is considerable. More than half the respondents to the Community Open Space Survey (57 percent) said they walk in Narberth every day. The primary attractions people walk to are the amenities of the town center on Haverford Avenue, including the train station. When asked, “how do you usually get to [Narberth’s] open spaces?” respondents indicated that walking is the most popular means for people in Narberth to get to neighborhood parks and recreational areas. For example, more than half of the respondents (57 percent) walk to open spaces compared with the next two highest ranking modes of transportation: driving (25 percent) and biking (16 percent).
Because the sidewalks are the only current means for walking in the Borough (with the exception of the N.I.C.E. Trail), they are a tremendous asset. Yet the Community Open Space Survey indicated that the pedestrian experi¬ence could still use improvement. Though the primary pedestrian concern stemmed from a lack of safe crossings at street intersections, 30 percent of the respondents said they are concerned with the quality of the sidewalks. Half of the respondents (51 percent) concerned with sidewalk issues specifically said they would like to see the sidewalks widened. A third (38 percent) said they were concerned with general sidewalk improvement (including repairs), while the rest (11 percent) said they would like to see sidewalks built where there are none now.
That is interesting reading. Did the report make any recommendations, and if so do you know how they are being acted on?
ReplyDeleteDownload the report, and you will see starting on page 37 a long section that includes specific and generic recommendations. Pedestrian improvements along Wynnewood Road and Windsor Avenue (green street) have been studied but are stalled. Same with improvements to bicycle routes throughout the borough. Things have moved slowly and it's been disappointing.
ReplyDeleteThis is just the kind of thing I would like to get involved in helping along, if there is any active group that I could join or attend.
ReplyDeleteJim
ReplyDeleteAfter the plan was approved, the Borough's Open Space Committee was disbanded by Borough Council, and the plan's recommendations were left to Borough Council and its committees to implement.
I'd suggest contacting Borough Council members to express your interest in the plan and ask for an update.
My own thought is, our Borough Council members have a lot on their plate, a lot of responsibility, and can't work on these issues alone. It's disappointing that there isn't a vigorous open space task force that could help our Council members by building citizen awareness, interest and support for these issues. Perhaps one of our concil members would welcome this idea!
I had an idea that I brought to the Highway Committee recently, which I thought might have to do with open space; I was told that all the open space money for the next x years had been spoken for by a stormwater management system. Does that sound right? And if so, how "spoken for" is it really?
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